Strib says no to Aschburner

Ninety-seven seconds before midnight on March 10, Star Tribune sportswriter Steve Aschburner e-mailed his managers telling them he wanted to take a voluntary buyout of his contract. He was on the road, covering a Timberwolves game in Atlanta, and his decision came at the very end of a five-day window in which employees could choose to leave the paper in exchange for a payout for time served.
Aschburner quickly regretted his decision, recognizing it as an "impulsive, stressed-out thing" complicated by personal issues and the "ticking bomb" nature of the five-day clause, and within four days he told his editor he wanted to stay. For the past six weeks he's been pleading with Star Tribune managers to let him keep doing a job he loves -- but what he's found is that management sees his buyout as anything but voluntary.

it's a huge loss to the paper if he goes. his nba coverage is terrific and he's the longest-serving beat writer in the twin cities. how long has he been on the NBA beat? 15 years? more? far longer than any other beat writer for either apper.

that said, it's his own fault for sending the e-mail. yes, they should reconsider but there are rules and policies for a reason. sure, the five-day rule was harsh but he's the one who sent the e-mail.

reason no. 425452 why e-mails lull people into a false reality that something transmitted by e-mail is less important than what used to be transmitted in writing.

I'm not exactly taking the side of the "soulless bean-counters," and Steve may be a good person and a valuable writer and reporter, but I don't think he should be getting cut that much slack. He certainly knew enough to be able to file his request in the nick of time.

In other words, he had plenty of time to think about it to know what the consequences could be. That said, though, perhaps the company is waiting to see how many other people filed for the buyout, and they may not grant his first request. It's happened in other places.

Well, to treat people in this business like interchangeable widget-makers from some assembly line, without realizing that your basic product is worthless without them, is pretty soulless to me.
Steve's biggest mistake was in not becoming a college basketball coach.

He's a great beat writer, but what this is about is not making decisions like this when you're stressed out at the end of a season... I know a zillion people in this business who make comments toward the end of a season like, "I don't know how much longer I can take this shit..."

Trust me, when you've been away from your wife and kids for an extended period of time it can be very easy to start thinking that way.

Papers that are offering buyouts are usually looking to make staff cuts. It's better to do it this way than to fire someone.

I feel badly for Steve, but I'm sure something that's going into management's thinking is the danger of precedent... If they let Steve come back, then it opens the door to others' changing their minds. And I think with these sorts of things, there are hard deadlines for a reason.

Of course, I can't imagine having Steve come to me with hat in hand and then finding it in myself to say "No" to him.

He's a great beat writer, but what this is about is not making decisions like this when you're stressed out at the end of a season... I know a zillion people in this business who make comments toward the end of a season like, "I don't know how much longer I can take this shit..."

Trust me, when you've been away from your wife and kids for an extended period of time it can be very easy to start thinking that way.

Papers that are offering buyouts are usually looking to make staff cuts. It's better to do it this way than to fire someone.

He's my age (33) and has taken three, which usually range between 4-6 months salary to walk away. Every time he's had a new gig within two months or so. He's also single and doesn't mind moving across the country at the drop of a hat. He also makes enough freelancing that he could live on that if he had to. Needless to say, it hasn't been an issue.

My guess is every department at the Strib (an outstanding paper) had to make cuts. By agreeing to take the buyout, he probably saved someone else's job.

He's my age (33) and has taken three, which usually range between 4-6 months salary to walk away. Every time he's had a new gig within two months or so. He's also single and doesn't mind moving across the country at the drop of a hat. He also makes enough freelancing that he could live on that if he had to. Needless to say, it hasn't been an issue.

My guess is every department at the Strib (an outstanding paper) had to make cuts. By agreeing to take the buyout, he probably saved someone else's job.

Again, very unfortunate situation...

Click to expand...

He's also lucky(?). Most of the time the minimums seem to be 10 years at the paper and 55 years old.